Envy
by FailKitten13
Summary: With the death of my mother came a sudden drop in social status, but, as far as I was concerned, that was the very least of my worries. (Rating subject to change but said change is not definite. One sided SharonXOC and plenty of mushy friendship nonsense.)
1. Chapter 1

Simplicity. That's what this was. I could start out by saying, "Lady Sharon, I presume" and everything could escalate from there. What was that thing my mother always loved to say? "The early bird gets the worm"?  
My hands shook, and I had to sit my glass down. I knew this was the last social gathering I'd be allowed to attend on my own. With the death of my mother came a drop in social status. Didn't I want to make this one count?  
"Making it count", I realised, evidently meant getting myself stoned to death. Everyone here knew I was to be a servant of one of these houses by the end of the night; they didn't need to know how I felt about Sharon.  
Why was I so stupid? It would have been bad enough if I'd wanted, say, Oz Vessalius or Elliot Nightray. Why couldn't I have fallen for Gilbert or Leo or something? I knew I tried a hundred times to make myself love Gil, but it wasn't working out the way I wanted. Besides, that was a sucky option now, too, considering he was also risen to nobility status.  
Maybe I had a long lost brother like Vincent who was waiting to bring me back into the good life and all of my sins were to be forgiven. Of course, I wasn't lucky like that. Besides, if anything I'd ever heard about Vincent was true, maybe it was better I didn't have someone like him to go home to.  
In fact, half of my attention was devoted to avoiding the Nightray household at all costs that night.  
When I'd accepted that social isolation was to be my entire future, a servant approached me. I recognised him as Sharon's. I envied him for being able to spend all of his time with her and protect her and be adored so much by her.  
I envied him for being a man, too, but I would never admit that more than I had to.  
I smiled weakly at him, feeling bad about not remembering his name.  
"Hello," I greeted, hoping I didn't sound the way I felt.  
"Hello, there," he responded.  
I wasn't sure how to feel about him for the simple fact I couldn't tell if the air about him was a friendly one or a mischievous one. Maybe it was both.  
"I'm, uh, Helen Winchester," I introduced myself, nervously extending my hand to shake as though if he were to touch my hand he'd learn my secret.  
"Xerxes Break," he responded, shaking my hand with amusement.  
How did I forget a crazy name like Xerxes Break? I must not have heard his name before.  
"I hear you're going to be in the same position as me after tonight," he remarked, seeming to quietly laugh at my plight.  
How I wished to be in his position.  
"Yes...I'm only holding onto the hope that I won't end up with the Nightrays."  
Like Echo, I wanted to add. I always felt sorry for Echo and wanted to befriend her, but I never got the chance to speak to her. It was all Vincent's fault. I really hoped I didn't wind up in the same house as him. Not that I was as cute and small as Echo or anything, but I just really didn't want to risk it.  
"Milady has actually discussed with her mother the possibility of taking you in."  
I nearly gaped at him. When was he planning on telling me this? I was shaking again, and I picked up my glass and took a sip to calm my nerves[what was I drinking, anyway?].  
"Is that unfavourable as well?" he asked, a twinkle in his eye.  
"No, no. Certainly not. I'm just...surprised, I suppose. That's all."  
"You don't seem to know a lot about the Rainsworths," he observed.  
He didn't know how wrong he was. I knew everything I could have possibly learned about them. I knew they took in Break even though he'd just appeared on their property for no apparent reason. I knew Liam served at their house for years because Duke Barma had told him not to come home without a pleasing response to his love letter to Duchess Rainsworth. I also knew that Duchess Rainsworth wasn't pleased with my mother after an odd incident involving me a few years back, so of course it shocked me that they were considering taking me in.  
"I suppose not," I replied instead.  
"Do you wish to meet them?"  
Was he playing dumb? I knew he was there for that incident. To be fair, perhaps he was preoccupied with other things, but Sharon had to have told him what I did.  
"Certainly," I replied.  
Two could play at that game.  
He gestured for me to walk in front of him, and I did. How long had it been since I'd spoken with Sharon? It had to have been a few years. It was such a shock, too. We used to visit all the time until the incident, and neither of us had been old enough to attend a gathering afterwards.  
It would be even longer, it seemed. Sharon was not at the party. If anything I'd heard about her was true, though, I wasn't surprised. Rumour had it she kept herself at home most of the time for some strange reason. Then again, Break supposedly kept himself at home with her for the same reason. I glanced at him curiously.  
"Good evening, Duchess Rainsworth," I greeted as politely as I could, nodding to her.  
She smiled sweetly back at me. I remembered her being a very friendly older lady until the incident.  
"I hear you're going through some tough times with your mother gone," she observed.  
I nodded again. Tough times didn't begin to describe it. My family wasn't a particularly large one. Mother had been an only child, and any other relation to her - including her husband - had died many years ago. The entire community knew about it and decided the only solution was to sell me off into eternal servitude as opposed to letting me go about my life homeless.  
It was a nice thought, I guess.  
"Yes."  
"I, frankly, find this whole ordeal disgusting: All these households taking advantage of your unfortunate situation the way they are, particularly the Nightrays."  
I glanced at them at the mention of their name to see Vincent speaking quietly to Gil and glancing my way a couple of times. I shuddered and turned back to Shelly.  
"I want you to come home with Break and me instead. That is, if you think you're up for it."  
Perhaps she forgot all about what happened. I certainly wouldn't be the one to remind her, and Break seemed to be on my side for that one.  
I nodded to her once again.  
"Thank you, Duchess Rainsworth."  
"Don't thank me yet. I have to call the gathering to an end first."


	2. Chapter 2

If there was a worse pair of a roommates to have than Break and Liam, I was not aware of it. Liam by himself would have been fine. His fatal flaw was how anal he was about organisation. That wasn't too bad at all. Besides, he was pretty nice. Break by himself wouldn't have been great, but he wouldn't have been so bad either. He didn't seem to be all there, if you catch my meaning. Not only that, but the man didn't seem to intent on ensuring anyone thought well of him.  
As you can probably imagine, these personalities clashed a great deal, which left little room for sleep[I probably wouldn't get any even if Break didn't constantly provoke Liam for fear of Break slitting my throat in my sleep].  
I could tell Liam didn't really want to argue with Break, but Break knew how to get him to do it anyway. Luckily, I was an adaptive person. It was easy for me to sleep through the noise after a while. Unluckily, with sleep came the dreams. It seemed that my life had to revolve around her, regardless of my state of consciousness.  
Around the third time I woke up, the sun was close to rising anyway. I slipped out of bed and put some clothes on. Strangely, I noted Break was nowhere to be found in the room. Perhaps he never slept. That seemed like a probable explanation for him. After what felt like hours of getting dressed, I stepped out quietly into the hallway. No, I was not intending to spy on anyone. I was mostly hoping to get my bearings and learn my way around the house. I used to know the layout fairly well, but I'd lost those memories since the incident.  
I guess I was more focused on what Sharon thought of me than whether or not I remembered the house.  
It seemed I still was, for I was careless enough to bump right into someone as I was walking about. I looked up to see Break, who'd evidently just come out of the door in front of me. His expression was one I wasn't used to seeing on him. It was too serious.  
"Excuse me," I said sheepishly as I stepped to the side.  
"Good morning to you, too," he replied.  
Good. Back to normal. I didn't know if I could stand being around a serious Break. Was there even such a thing? I mean, perhaps I only caught him off guard.  
"Right, good morning," I laughed nervously.  
He lightheartedly patted me on the shoulder and continued down the hall.  
What was in that room he'd just come out of? I wracked my brain in the hopes I'd remember just that one little detail, but I had no such luck. Glancing down the hallway each way and finding no one but Break leaving the area, I reached forward and turned the handle. I pushed softly on the wood and started a little when a small creak came from it.  
I shut the door quickly.  
It was Sharon's room. I continued down the hall, trying to calm my breathing. She was probably awake. She probably saw me. I wasn't ready to deal with that yet. I wasn't ready to talk to her. I would probably have preferred to talk to Break, and he made me a little uneasy.  
What if she didn't forgive me? What if it was her idea to cut ties with me all along?


	3. Chapter 3

We were ten, Sharon and I. My mother had brought me along on her visit to Duchess Rainsworth.  
We played 'House' a lot, Sharon and I. We never had other children to play with when we met, so we had to assign the roles of child, pet, servant, and other things to Sharon's toys. The two of us usually switched back and forth between husband and wife[though, once, I asked to be the dog and Sharon told me not to be weird]. The only people who ever really knew what we were up to were Break and, less often, Liam. I even remember that, once, Sharon had tried to demote me to child and make Break play the husband[she had the worst crush on him when we were children].  
That probably should have told me this was an awful idea.  
"Hi, Sharon," I greeted as I stepped into her room and shut the door like I always did.  
The door shutting was never my idea. It was Sharon's.  
"Hi, Helen."  
She stood and placed a hat on my head that I recognised as Break's. I giggled.  
"How did you get this?"  
"Break gave it to me," she told me, seeming proud of herself. "Now the husband can go to parties."  
"And we can do the wedding, too," I blurted.  
I didn't think too much of it at the time. We'd wanted to do the wedding for a while, since no household could really become a household without one.  
Besides, Sharon didn't argue. She smiled widely at me, and I felt a little short of breath.  
"You're right! I can't believe I forgot!"  
She grabbed one of her stuffed bears and sat it up on her bed, placing a randomly selected book open in front of it.  
"Should we give you a boy name?" she asked, frowning.  
"Probably."  
"What about 'Break'?"  
So, I had heard his name before.  
I made a face at her. "I don't want to be Break. Why can't I just be Helen?"  
"Because I've never heard of any husband whose name was Helen."  
"Then I can be the first."  
"Fine," she pouted, "but you should be Break next time."  
"How about we do two weddings and I be Break on the second one?"  
She grinned. "Okay."  
We never really got around to the second wedding. The door opened right as we got to the "You may kiss the bride" part. There was no blaming it on childlike innocence, no demands for an explanation. I was simply ripped away from her and dragged, screaming to the front room. I was aware of several pairs of eyes around me. I knew Sharon had followed me there, and Break was in the room as well. I remembered looking to them for help, but I'd been dragged clear out to the carriage before my pleading looks got through to them. I didn't remember the entire lecture from my mother. I only remembered a few words like "young ladies" and "disgusting".  
Weeks passed, months. I kept asking when we would go back. I didn't quit even when mother finally said "Never". I even tried to get her to let me at least return Break's hat, but I never got to.  
It occurred to me that the hat wound up in the suitcase I'd brought to the Rainsworth house. Perhaps I should return it sometime.


	4. Chapter 4

It was a good thing I familiarised myself with the house so quickly, for just when the sun rose Break came looking for me.  
"Helen? What on earth are you doing all the way over on this side of the house?"  
I turned to face him, and he seemed genuinely surprised.  
"I was only trying to find my way around the house. I'm sorry."  
He laughed.  
"There's no need to be sorry. I've just been looking everywhere for you. It's getting close to breakfast time, and I thought for sure you'd be in The Lady's room, as that's about where I last saw you."  
My face heated up.  
"No, I, uh...I didn't think it would be polite."  
"Nonsense! I saw you open the door!"  
My face heated up even more.  
"Why, Helen, do you have a fever?"  
"No, no, no."  
"That would be most unfortunate," he continued as he ushered me back down the hall. "You see, The Lady has fallen ill lately. She cannot get out of bed, she's so sick, and it wouldn't do to have you getting sick, too."  
"Lady Sharon's sick?" I gasped, sounding much more concerned than I'd really intended.  
I knew he noticed it. He seemed amused.  
"Yes, Helen. I thought you'd gathered that when you went into her room."  
"I didn't, though, Break," I sighed. "I only opened the door."  
"Well..."  
"That was stupid," finished the little doll on his shoulder.  
I shot him a glare, and he shrugged innocently.  
"Really, Helen, you should go see her."  
I raised my eyebrows at him. There was no way he thought that was a good idea. He knew what happened.  
"What?"  
"Why are you playing dumb? You know I can't do that, Break. You're with her all the time. You have to know how mad she is at me."  
Break stared at me a moment before bursting into laughter. It wasn't just a stupid chuckle this time. It was a full-out laugh, and I had to stop while he got his bearings. Break wiped a tear from his eye and gave me a grin. I was afraid he was going to burst out into laughter yet again.  
"You really don't know anything about the Rainsworths, do you, Helen? Whatever did your mother tell you about why you couldn't come over anymore?"  
Of course, my face heated up even more when I thought about it, and I stared down at my feet. Break leaned in closely.  
"Surely, you don't think it was what happened when you were children?"  
I jumped, stepping away from him, only able to respond with a wide-eyed stare.  
He chuckled and turned away.  
"Wasn't it?" I demanded. I couldn't stand it that he was keeping something from me. "Wasn't it the wedding?"  
The words came out faster than I could register them.  
He turned back towards me, still smiling like crazy.  
"Is that what that was? Milady refused to tell me what had happened. She said it didn't matter."  
I was sure my face was redder than a beet by now.  
"I...it was...that is to say I..."  
"Duchess Rainsworth did, of course, tell me about the...shall we say, moment you two had together."  
"Break!"  
The grin on his face seemed to change, somehow. It looked less like a joker's smirk and more like a knowing smile.  
"Don't be so embarrassed, Helen. You were children."  
"Y-yeah...I know."  
"Children do all sorts of strange things."  
I fiddled with my hands, not looking at him.  
He put an arm around my shoulders and pulled me toward him[a little too close for comfort, honestly]. The mischievousness I'd gotten from him earlier were gone, replaced with something like understanding.  
"Let's just go to breakfast, hmm? And you work on getting your face back to its normal colour."  
I could only nod as he led me to the dining hall.


	5. Chapter 5

"Good morning," Duchess Rainsworth greeted as she sat down. "Xerxes? Will you please bring Sharon her breakfast? It's right there at her usual spot."  
"Certainly, Milady," he responded with a small bow. "Might I bring Helen with me?"  
My head snapped around to glare at him.  
"Alright, Xerxes. Just don't keep her too long. I'm sure she'll want to eat something before she starts the day."  
She couldn't have been more wrong, for I couldn't have been more queasy.  
Break, balancing Sharon's plate on his head, took my hand and led me unceremoniously down to Sharon's room. He let go of me so that he could open the door and step inside. When I stood awkwardly in the hallway, seeming to not want to move, Break stayed in the doorway and stared at me expectantly. I had no choice but to follow him into Sharon's room.  
I began to shiver as I stood in the middle of the large bedroom, concentrating on not looking at anything as though a simple glance could taint one of Sharon's precious belongings.  
"Milady," Break sang, shaking the lump of blankets that was evidently Sharon awake, "it's time to wake up!"  
He gracefully lifted the plate of food off of his head and held it out for Sharon, who sat up groggily. She looked absolutely miserable. I was suddenly overcome by this urge to sit next to her, stroke her hair, spoon feed her, and tell her everything was going to be okay. I looked back down at my feet, my face heating up and the queasy feeling in my stomach growing as I thought of how utterly deranged and disgusting I was.  
How I envied Break!  
"And how are you feeling this morning, Milady?" Break chattered, shaking his right hand free of its oversized sleeve so that he could press it to her forehead.  
"I'm feeling a little better than I did yesterday," Sharon replied, her voice a little raspy but still small and high-pitched and utterly adorable.  
"That's wonderful, Milady," he continued, putting his hand back into its proper place. "Did I get a chance to tell you of the new arrival?"  
"Yes," she responded with a sweet smile. "Is it really Helen Winchester? I didn't think Mother would be able to bring her home."  
Break stepped back so that he was not obstructing her view of me and swept his hand out to the side in an elaborate gesture. "See for yourself, Milady. I wouldn't lie to you."  
I made eye contact with her just long enough to wave.  
Even on her sick bed, she was so much the perfect example of a proper young lady that I couldn't possibly imagine her standing for my little secret.  
"Hi, Helen," she greeted with a smile in her voice, sounding very much like the little girl I used to play 'House' with all those years ago.  
It had to have been thirteen.  
"Hi, Sharon."  
Break gave Sharon a little bow before heading out of the room. He passed by me just close enough so that I could hear the quiet, "I'll let you two get reacquainted" as he left.  
"Do you want me to bring your breakfast as well, Helen?" he asked, a twinkle in his eye.  
I shook my head. "That's fine."  
He shrugged and left the room, shutting the door behind him.  
"I've missed you a lot, Helen," Sharon continued, making me look her way once again.  
I swallowed a lump the size of Sharon's canopy bed.  
"I...I miss you, too, Shar-Lady Sharon."  
Servant. I was a servant. We weren't aristocratic children on a playdate anymore.  
"Come over here, please."  
Perfect. She was perfect.  
I wasn't sure I'd make it even one step with my legs shaking the way they were, but I managed. She reached out and took my hands into hers, still smiling up at me. My breath caught, and I wondered if her mood was going to change soon, if she remembered what happened when we were little.  
"What happened to you, Helen? Mother told me it was a matter between her and Duchess Winchester," she wondered aloud, letting my hands slide out of hers.  
Was my mother quarreling with hers? Was none of this my fault, contrary to what I'd been told?  
I fidgeted and opted for the easy answer.  
"I...don't...know..."  
I cleared my throat, feeling an overwhelming urge to change the subject.  
"So...you're really sick?"  
She nodded. "Yes. I'm afraid this dreadful illness has me stuck in bed for quite a while. I've already been in here a week, and I'm not sure how much longer I can stand it."  
"As in, your legs are too weak to hold you, or you don't want to risk getting anyone sick?"  
"My legs, I'm afraid. It doesn't seem to be contagious at all. I mean, Break hasn't caught it yet. Then again..."  
She trailed off. No matter how curious I was, I refused to pry. If Break was some sort of mythological 'Creature of the Abyss' or something of the sort, it really wasn't my business.  
"I wish I'd seen you at my mother's funeral," I blurted.  
She chuckled a little.  
"I wish I could have made it."  
"I never saw you at any social gatherings after you were thirteen..."  
Come to think of it, she still looked like she was thirteen.  
It was her turn to seem awkward in my presence.  
"I've been busy."  
Too busy for a Coming-of-Age ceremony?  
I didn't voice that thought aloud: For all I knew, she had one and specifically didn't invite me.  
"Oh," was all I could think of to say.  
"Has Break been harrassing you too much?" she giggled.  
"No. So far, I guess...he's been...helpful?"  
I wasn't sure what that was supposed to mean. I couldn't really name one helpful thing he'd done for me since the day before, but it felt like the right word to use.  
I guess something about the eccentric, creepy, annoying man was endearing.  
"That's good. He's missed you, too."  
I suddenly felt guilty about not even remembering his name.  
"I wish I knew why I had to leave," was all I could say to her.  
"Me, too, Helen."  
"So...I guess you're not mad at me?"  
It was, then, Sharon's turn to laugh at me.  
"Whatever is there to be mad about, Helen?"  
Oh, but there was plenty to be mad about, and I would only have to mention one thing to be booted out of the house by Lady Sharon personally.  
"Oh...it's...I don't know...I just felt like you were mad at me or something," I lied.  
"Well, now you know I never was. Does that make you feel better?"  
It did. It made me feel thousands of times better, but saying that would make me sound dumb, so I opted for a simple "Yes, thank you" instead. "I guess I should head back out and help Break."  
"As long as you promise to come visit me whenever you can. Get Break to steal you away again," she giggled.  
I nodded, the ghost of a smile haunting my mouth to the point where it was just barely visible.  
When I'd gotten out to the hallway and shut the door, I turned around and very nearly broke my nose on Break.  
I jumped backward.  
"What on earth are you doing there? You gave me a heart attack!" I cried.  
"I'm here to make sure you aren't hungry now, because breakfast time is almost over."  
There were too many butterflies in my stomach to allow me to even think about eating anything.  
"No. I'm not. Why don't you show me what I'll be doing around here?"  
He grinned.  
"Gladly," he replied with a twinkle in his eye.


	6. Chapter 6

For some reason, I wasn't at all surprised when Break thrust laundry duty on me and even less surprised when I heard him laughing about it as he walked away. Of course, it made perfect sense after only a few minutes when I came across what I like to call "Unmentionables".  
I hoped to god, for Break's sake, that he was not subjected to this on a daily basis before I arrived. Amen.  
That isn't to say it wasn't a gruesome experience for me as well. It took me about an hour to master my poker face whilst cleaning the clothes. Thankfully, they didn't have too much laundry to do, and I was finished hanging out the last of it to dry within about three and a half hours. Then, my only task was to head back inside and find Break to see what I was to do next.  
"Hello, Helen," he greeted, seeming surprised I'd come to find him.  
He was setting the table on the outdoor patio for teatime.  
"I was about to finish up here and go fetch you for teatime. You're done surprisingly soon. I'm quite impressed."  
"Thank you."  
"Why don't you have a seat while I go see what's holding up Duchess Rainsworth?"  
I nodded slightly and took a seat as he headed back inside.  
I let out a breath I didn't realise I was holding, suddenly not sure whether to be worried or thankful that I was left alone with my thoughts for the time being. Luckily, the doors opened in a matter of minutes to reveal Break and Duchess Rainsworth[whose wheelchair was being pushed by a servant I didn't recognise].  
"Good afternoon, Helen," she greeted with a smile. "Break told me you were joining us for tea today. I'm very glad to hear it."  
I nodded to her with a smile. "I'm glad to be here."  
"How has your stay here been so far?" Shelly followed up, seeming to have a hint of sympathy in her voice.  
"I am enjoying it. I'm very thankful that you've taken me in, and I certainly like having things to do."  
I wasn't lying: Chores, so far, definitely beat sitting around in the hopes of marriage or something interesting happening at teatime all day.  
"That's very good to hear, Helen."  
Shelly turned to Break, who'd just filled her teacup.  
"Do you have a meeting to go to?"  
Break glanced at me, uneasiness flashing across his face briefly.  
"It's alright, Break, it's not like you're breaching security."  
"Yes, Milady. Thank you for reminding me. May I be excused?"  
"Certainly. Are you going to manage without Sharon there?"  
"I believe we'll survive for the time being."  
"Alright. See you soon, hopefully."  
With that, Break was gone. I furrowed my brow.  
"Where is he going, Lady Shelly?" I blurted out before I could stop myself from being nosey.  
"You should probably ask him when he returns, dear. He'll tell you if he wants to."  
That last word she'd said to him - "hopefully" - stuck out in my mind.  
"When do you think he'll ever be back?"  
"There's no telling. Sometimes he leaves for a few hours just to attend a meeting, and sometimes he's gone for days to take care of an assignment."  
It would be far too quiet around here without Break, I'd decided, but that wasn't necessarily an unpleasant thing. In fact, that meant I wasn't in danger of running into him when he decided to appear out of thin air right behind me. At the same time, I was terribly worried I would be lost and unsure of what to do if Break wasn't there.


	7. Chapter 7

Break and Liam were back very late into the night. Being a light sleeper, their sneaky entrance was enough to wake me up at least halfway.  
"Liam?" I asked groggily, sitting up. "Break?"  
"Hush," Break responded, falling dramatically into his own bed. "Go to sleep, Helen."  
"Where were you guys?" I mumbled, laying back down.  
"It's not nice to pry into the affairs of others," Liam responded simply, and that was the last word I heard from him.  
"If you must know, we were at a secret meeting. Now, go back to sleep. You'll need it," Break told me, his voice making it seem like he was teasing me, taunting me.  
I huffed loudly enough so that he could hear me, but that was all the fight I really had left in me, still being half asleep and all.  
Besides, Break was correct. The morning was hectic only minutes after I'd woken up. It took some asking around, but I finally found out we were expecting guests that very morning. It seemed strange no one knew of this earlier, but I didn't really think too much of it. Break seemed full of knowledge about this situation, but, if I tried to ask, he would only shake his finger at me and say something stupid like "Not yet".  
An hour away from our mystery guest's arrival, and Break was suddenly nowhere to be found. This was when I was beginning to grow weary of whomever was coming to visit. Just when I thought I'd be alone in the entertaining of this person, Break had brought Sharon out of her room only seconds before the door in the front room opened.  
There were two voices I recognised.  
"Hello, Miss Sharon," Vincent Nightray greeted with a sickening sweetness.  
I had to stop myself from inching behind the nearest person[Liam, as luck would have it].  
The Nightrays had been friends with the Winchesters since before I was born. The two houses were, normally, as thick as thieves. I guess an exception to the rule had to come along sooner or later.  
It wasn't that I didn't get along very well with Elliot[though I didn't particularly like him very much, either], his siblings, or Leo. It was Vincent. Vincent was my problem. Playdates with him, I recalled, weren't ever as enjoyable as the ones with Sharon[and it wasn't because of how I felt about her, either]. It was almost as if he would start trying to play nice, and he would show promise in the area of playing like a normal boy should. Unfortunately, it never lasted, and by the end of the visit one of us was locked outside of his room and I was feeling a little more traumatised.  
Yet, Mother never seemed to notice what went on at the Nightrays'.  
"Hello, Vincent," Sharon responded, trying not to sound so very weak.  
"I heard you'd fallen ill and only thought it proper to come and check in on you," Vincent explained.  
"I thank you for your concern," she responded as she sat down at the table.  
"Of course," he responded, following her example.  
My spot was right next to Echo, which was only one seat away from being right next to the adopted Nightray. I took a deep breath and concentrated every fiber of my being on operating with perfect poise.  
Lady Shelly was quick to join us, and most of us were silent throughout the meal.  
"So, Mr. Hatter?" Vincent began, warranting a sort of warning look from Break.  
There it was again: An uncharacteristic seriousness.  
"Where are we going to meet after this? Do you have any preference?"  
"I'd prefer to discuss that in a more private atmosphere."  
"If you insist."  
He glanced over at me with some sort of intent, but I couldn't tell what it was. I shuddered and focused on my food. My ears were pricked up, so to speak, throughout the meal in the hopes I would be able to hear what Break and Vincent were meeting for. Unfortunately, that was not the case. The conversation after those few sentences on this supposed meeting was quite casual. It surprised me how charismatic Vincent had grown to be. I started to wonder if anything else had changed about him, too, since I'd quit visiting him at around twelve years of age[something about me becoming a young lady and my mother preserving my virginity or something; it wasn't a fun conversation to have].  
I could tell Duchess Rainsworth wasn't buying it, though she held the conversation quite well herself with a sweet smile aimed at Vincent.  
Before I knew it, the meal was over, and everyone was excusing themselves.  
"Helen?"  
I looked over to Break, who was helping Sharon make her way over to me.  
"Would you mind getting the Lady back to bed? I have something I must take care of, and she can't stand on her own two feet any longer."  
I nodded as Break transferred Sharon over to lean on me.  
"I'll see you soon," he chirped as he headed back over to speak with Vincent.  
"What was that all about?" I wondered aloud as I helped Sharon down the hall to her room.  
"I'm not sure. I haven't been able to make a Pa - a meeting in a while since I've been sick. I thought I'd be well enough to attend this time, but I guess I thought wrong."  
What was that little slip she made?  
"I'm sure you'll get better soon; I mean, it isn't really that hard to support you. That must mean you're doing some of the work, and that's an improvement, right?"  
It wasn't that Sharon was incredibly heavy or anything, I was just too close to her size to be able to lift her very easily. That is to say, I didn't still look thirteen like she did: I was just one of those kids that grew up to their full height at twelve or so and never grew again. I was certain that, otherwise, I looked like any twenty-three-year-old should.  
And, here I was: Back on the subject of Sharon's childlike appearance. Everyone - including me - was always so certain she'd grow into such a beautiful young lady. So, what happened?  
"Right."  
What was she talking about? I was lost in thought.  
Oh, right.  
I smiled at her as we reached her room. I wanted to give Break a very dramatic and organ-crushing hug for letting me tuck Sharon into bed, but I thought better of it. He probably wasn't thinking about this too much.  
Once I was finished[with both tucking her in and stopping myself from kissing her good-night], I left the room.  
Voices were mumbling just down the hall, and my curiosity was truly overwhelming. Before I knew it, I had my ear pressed up against the door where the voices were coming from.  
" - don't know what you're talking about."  
"Don't play dumb, Mr. Hatter. You can't expect me to believe that what happened yesterday was a coincidence."  
Why did Vincent call Break "Mr. Hatter"? He was so strange.  
"I didn't plan it, either, Master Vincent."  
"I can see right through your lie. Everyone knows you were waiting until Sharon wasn't there."  
What happened?  
"Next, you're going to accuse me of causing her illness."  
Break sounded...angry.  
"I thought I'd done a good job of implying that already."  
"I don't know why I ever invited you to come here in the first place if all you're going to do is put all of the blame on me."  
"We both know why you asked me over. You want me to organise a rescue mission."  
Rescue mission?  
"I would rather ask anyone else in the world, just so you know. But, with how busy Liam and I are lately, how sick the Lady is, and how...tied up Raven and Master Oz are at the moment, I really didn't get much of a choice."  
"How nice of you to say."  
"I've already told Pandora Headquarters this was your job, so it'll reflect badly on you if you refuse."  
Pandora? That sounded familiar.  
"I wasn't thinking of it, Mr. Hatter. My dearest big brother is out there, too, so my disdain for Oz is null and void. I'll be leaving tonight."  
Wait, Oz? I'd only just caught that name. They couldn't possibly have meant Oz Vessalius. He died ten years ago!  
The door opened before I could react, and I nearly fell over on Vincent.  
I gasped sharply and scrambled backwards so fast I stumbled and hit my head on the wall behind me as I fell to the floor. Vincent stared at me, and I froze. Break followed him out.  
"Oh? What's going on here?"  
"How much did you hear?" Vincent asked sinisterly, ignoring Break.  
"I-I-I didn't hear anything...I p-promise!"  
Was he going to stab me in the gut?  
"I did see your ear pressed up to the door, you know," he pointed out as he knelt right in front of me.  
I pressed myself to the wall.  
"Well, uh, I was...going to see if...you needed anything?"  
"I don't like eavesdroppers."  
"Don't you have somewhere to be?" Break finally cut in.  
Vincent turned his head to glare at Break.  
"I have to take care of this first."  
"You don't have to do anything but save Raven and Oz. Now, run along."  
After hesitating for a heartstopping moment, Vincent stood and turned around.  
"I'll see you soon, Helen," he told me over his shoulder before he disappeared down the hallway with Echo.  
My muscles relaxed once he was out of sight, and I sighed and slumped against the wall.  
"So, I guess you're wondering what that discussion was about, hmm?"  
My head snapped up to look at Break before I nodded.  
"I...caught the word 'Pandora'...?"  
"Ah, of course that would pique your curiosity. Have you ever heard of the organisation known as Pandora?"  
"...It's a law enforcement branch...right?"  
"No, though that's what we want everyone to believe. I suppose it was only a matter of time before I tell you this, but Pandora is actually an organisation dedicated to research on the Abyss."  
The Abyss? But...  
"The Abyss is an old fable created to scare children into behaving properly. You don't expect me to buy this explanation of yours?"  
"Actually, the Abyss is very real. Take it from me. You must have heard Oz's name?"  
I nodded skeptically.  
"You can't expect me to belive you think he was magically risen from the dead. Most everyone - except, maybe, for those households that weren't on good terms with the Vessalius Dukedom - knows by now that Oz was in the Abyss for ten years."  
It made sense I wasn't aware of that, considering my mother became sort of closed off from the world after we quit visiting the Nightrays.  
I was quiet for a moment, taking that in.  
"I'm sorry I eavesdropped on your conversation."  
"Oh, I was sure someone was bound to come listen, considering the room Master Vincent chose. I warned him against it if he wanted secrecy, but he insisted."  
Break shrugged.  
"Is he going to kill me?"  
Break chuckled.  
"No, I don't think so. He might try."  
I could only give him a wide-eyed stare and say, "Stop that."  
Break shrugged.  
"..Well...now what?"  
If Pandora put up a cover like that, what was going to happen to me?  
"Now what?" Break repeated thoughtfully. "Hmm."  
I stood, dusted myself off, and rubbed my arm awkwardly.  
"I suppose the next logical step would be to have you become my subordinate and work for Pandora."  
"Oh, no, Break, I wouldn't know what to do - "  
"Or we could just look the other way when Vincent comes back," the little doll on his shoulder[Emily, I'd learned]interrupted me.  
"Emily!" He fake scolded, clicking his tongue in disappointment at her. "That would be rather rude. Of course, I guess since she doesn't have the protection of Pandora - "  
"Fine, fine. I...I guess I work for Pandora...now?"  
Break patted me on the head in much the way one would do to show a child their approval.  
"Very good, Helen. I knew you'd come around."  
I shifted awkwardly.  
"Uhm...can you tell me where you were last night now?"  
"Nope!" he replied in a sort of teasing way before he turned and headed down the hall.


	8. Chapter 8

In a week, Sharon was back on her feet again, and we - the Pandora members - were holding a meeting on the patio at the tea table. I couldn't stop staring across the table at Oz, and I suppose someone was bound to notice.  
"Hi," Oz greeted, seeming slightly awkward under my gaze, but mostly pleased with the attention at the same time. "I don't recognise you; what's your name? I'm Oz Vessalius."  
"Helen...Helen Winchester," I responded, looking down at the table in embarrassment once I realised I'd been staring. "Sorry."  
"No. I guess it makes sense. I haven't heard from the Winchesters in a long time. It makes sense seeing me would come as a shock to you."  
"Yeah, uh...Mother told me you died," I explained dumbly.  
"Plenty of people thought I did."  
"Excuse me," Break cut in, waving one of his floppy sleeves at us. "We have more important things to attend to right now. You two can catch up when we're through here."  
I looked around at the rest of the table and found Vincent wasn't there. I furrowed my brow, because as a matter of fact we had quite a small group gathered.  
"This is...all of Pandora?" I asked in disbelief.  
"No, no, no, silly girl," Break chuckled. "Just some of the more important members."  
"Ah."  
I nodded.  
"Alright everyone," Break started, clapping his covered hands together. "This is Helen. She has been cordially invited to join us here at Pandora."  
Yeah. Cordially.  
"What does she have to offer?" Gilbert piped up skeptically. "I've never known her to be good for much other than avoiding people."  
Leave it to Gilbert to say something nice about me.  
"Ah, that I don't know," Break responded with a smirk. "But I didn't actually have a choice in the matter, so I suppose we'll find out soon enough."  
"Is she an illegal contractor?" Oz asked.  
"Nope. In fact, she's not a contractor at all."  
He tossed a necklace at me, which I fumbled, dropped, and then had to pick up off the ground.  
"We'll fix that later, but it is not a priority right now. Anyway, let's get this underway, hmm? How are Oz and Raven doing?"  
"We're fine," Gilbert replied, "but did you need to send Vincent after us?"  
He seemed a little uncomfortable.  
"Yes, Raven. Yes I did. I couldn't very well send Lady Sharon after you two with her condition at the time."  
Gilbert sighed a little, but said nothing more on the matter.  
"Oh, don't worry too much about it, Raven. With Helen here now, we have more options if it should happen again."  
"I think I suddenly feel more comfortable with the Vincent situation."  
Was Gil trying to pick a fight with me? He'd become such a grumpy person since I'd last seen him. He used to be a sweet kid. I suppose everything he'd gone through with Oz had changed him.  
"You won't have much of a choice should it happen again. Anyways, I'm going to need the three of you to head out to Solemn Grove."  
"Isn't that a farmhouse?" Oz piped up.  
"Why, yes it is, but Pandora's been keeping an eye on it ever since one of the residents was spotted doing something rather...suspicious. We've been rotating positions watching the place, and it just so happens to be your turn, Raven. As per protocol, I must send two others in with you. It's a good thing Helen dropped in in the nick of time or I would have had to go and leave Milady here wondering just what's been going on these past few days."  
"You can't be serious," Gilbert said. "She probably doesn't even know what we're looking for. Why in god's name would you send her out on an assignment?"  
"He's right," I agreed awkwardly, shivering a little when everyone turned their eyes on me.  
"Well, right or not, you can always teach her what needs to be taught. I trust you're smart enough to do that, Raven?"  
Gilbert turned away. He really was getting grumpier.  
"I'm not a babysitter, Break," he replied indignantly.  
"For all intents and purposes, you are. Now get a move on."


	9. Chapter 9

The ride to Solemn Grove was quiet and tense. I noticed the girl that had been with Oz - Alice, Break told me - came along with us. I wondered why no one counted her as one of those two people that needed to help Gilbert.  
I felt like I owed Gilbert an apology, but he'd probably think I was stupid for not knowing what exactly I was apologising for. I made a silent promise not to be more trouble than I was worth.  
I couldn't have been more thankful for anything when we all stepped out of the horse-drawn carriage[even though Oz insisted on helping me down the steps and Alice consequently whapped him over the head].  
It was dark when we arrived, and I found myself worrying over what sorts of things were lurking around the countryside. It didn't help any that I couldn't stop thinking about the Abyss' existance and the fact that we were here keeping tabs on a possible illegal contractor.  
Oz put a hand on my shoulder as if he knew I was stressing.  
"Don't worry too much," he reassured me. "I've done this kind of stuff before, and nothing ever really happens when we just have to watch."  
"I hope that's how it is this time," was all I could think of to say back to him.  
He smiled at me - a gesture my still-adjusting eyes could only barely register - and went to catch up with Gil. I figured I should do the same, considering Gilbert was the one with the gun and the powerful chain at his command[Raven, if I remember what Break had told me correctly].  
We spent a few minutes deciding who was taking what shift before it was time to sleep. Gil was the first shift, but he decided to make me stay up with him to make sure I would know what I was doing come time for my shift. I sat a few inches away from him, only knowing how awkward I felt and wishing these hours would end soon.  
"Sorry," I piped up, even though I had decided against doing just that earlier that night.  
Gil raised an eyebrow at me.  
"For what? I was going to be stuck on watch duty anyway."  
"No, I mean I'm sorry Break had me come with you."  
"It's not your fault. I'm just a little put out that I have to watch over someone like you who doesn't have a chain or even a weapon."  
I looked at the ground, really wishing I hadn't started this conversation.  
"Break said I'll have a chain at some point."  
As we were leaving earlier, in fact, he said something like "I'll keep an eye out for a chain that needs a contractor", but I was pretty sure that was sarcasm.  
"Only god knows when that'll be."  
"Well...uh...maybe you can tell me what I can do on my shift if something weird happens."  
"I highly doubt anything will happen while we're here, but I'll leave my pistol with you if it does."  
"Uh...you...you're leaving me...a gun?"  
He handed it to me.  
"Unless you have some other means of defending yourself, yes."  
So, that's the story of how I wound up staring nervously at Gilbert's gun instead of doing any actual watch duty come my shift. That was probably how I got caught by surprise so easily when Oz woke up on his own and tapped me on the shoulder.  
I yelped and dropped the weapon, spinning around.  
"It's almost sunrise, Helen, how come you didn't wake me? You must've been up all night."  
My face heated up in embarrassment and I glanced over my shoulder at the farmhouse.  
"I, uh...I forgot...I'm sorry."  
"Aren't you tired?"  
I was actually too worried about how to use a gun and who I was even supposed to shoot at to be tired.  
"No."  
"If you say so. You can sit up with me until the morning if you want."  
I wasn't sure I wanted to do that, but it had to be better than sitting up with Gilbert in the middle of the night.  
"Okay."  
I sat back down next to Oz and gradually settled down. At some point, I glanced over at where our carriage had been and noticed another one pulling up next to it. I nudged Oz and pointed to it.  
"Is that Break?" I asked.  
Oz furrowed his brow.  
"I don't know who that is," he admitted.  
"Should we wake Gil?" I suggested.  
"I'm not sure. Maybe we should stay here and wait until someone comes out?" Oz offered.  
"That works for me," I replied.  
Right when I said that, the door to the carriage opened up and Vincent Nightray stepped out, proceeded by Echo.  
I paled.  
"What...what are they doing here?" I demanded in a rather loud whisper.  
Oz only shrugged.  
"Maybe it's their turn to watch next, and they arrived early."  
"I doubt it. We had a couple days left...as far as I know..."  
"Why else would they be here right now?"  
"...They were here last but they forgot something...?"  
Oz shrugged. "I guess we'll find out soon enough."  
He was right. They were headed our way, and I started to wonder if one of us did something wrong over the course of eight hours. Of course, I wouldn't voice that concern.  
"Hello, Oz. Helen," Vincent greeted as he approached us. "What are you all doing here? Did someone start nosing into business that wasn't hers again?"  
"No. Break hired her and sent her out on watch duty with us."  
"Is that so?"  
Gilbert slowly sat up behind us, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.  
"What's going on, Oz?" he asked groggily.  
"Vincent's here."  
Gilbert seemed to become alert immediately.  
"Why? What is he doing here?"  
"Hello, big brother," Vincent greeted Gilbert with an actual genuine sweetness I'd never heard out of him.  
"Why are you here, Vincent?" Gilbert asked, keeping his tone professional to the extreme. "Did something happen?"  
"Well, technically. You see, you've been watching more of an empty shell than a house, and we were sent down here to retrieve you before it got too bad."  
I raised an eyebrow and, again, spoke without thinking.  
"What do you mean, 'got too bad'? What's going on in there?"  
"There's a gateway opening within the house, and we're sending more men in to contain it as best we can. I'm mostly here to get you, Helen, since we need better fighters on the front line in case of trump cards and Mr. Hatter needs someone to stay behind with Miss Sharon besides Liam."  
"Gateway? Trump cards?" I repeated dumbly.  
"Do you not know anything?" Vincent asked me condescendingly, but wouldn't let me answer. "No matter. You're coming back to the Rainsworth Estate now."  
He offered his hand, and I shuddered.  
But, what could I really do? I knew how useless I'd be in the event of a large portal to the Abyss, and I didn't want to stick around for it besides. Then again, I also knew I would have to determine which was the lesser of two evils: Risking a battle with the creatures of the Abyss or taking a three hour carriage ride with Vincent back to the Rainsworths'.  
I guess I determined the carriage ride wasn't quite as bad as the situation at hand, because within minutes I was sitting across from Vincent Nightray and his servant.  
All I could really do for the next hour was silently praise God for the fact Echo was in there, for I surely wouldn't survive the entire ride alone with Vincent.  
It was perhaps the beginning of the second hour into the ride that I decided to speak up, which made me quite proud of myself considering I couldn't do that much when riding with people I felt more comfortable with.  
"So...um...you're...you're Echo?" I asked quietly.  
Vincent and Echo both started at the sudden sound of my voice, turning their attention toward me at once.  
Echo glanced at Vincent before she decided to reply.  
"Yes. My name is Echo."  
"I'm...Helen. I, uh, I used to visit Vincent when we were younger. I don't know if you were there."  
She shook her head.  
"I do not remember you."  
"I guess you wouldn't."  
"Whyever did you stop visiting, Helen?" Vincent piped up, something poisonous behind his words.  
"Well, I...it wasn't really my decision. My mother, actually, kept me at home from the time I was twelve right up until she died."  
That wasn't to say I ever disagreed with this decision so long as it kept me from experiencing any more awkward visits with Vincent, but I wasn't about to say that out loud.  
"Truly a shame, Helen. I rather enjoyed your visits."  
I could only nod and glance down at the floor.  
"Maybe...I could come see you again sometime?" I suggested without thinking first.  
"I would very much like it if you could arrange that."  
I fidgeted, suddenly realising what I'd said. If only I could take it back, but I knew I couldn't. Maybe he would forget soon enough.  
"Perhaps I can help you along," he continued.  
"O-oh, you don't have to do that."  
"I will. It would be great to have you around again."  
I stared at the floor. There had to be something I could come up with to get me out of this mess I got myself into. Was I too busy? I was a servant, after all. Maybe I could be too busy every time he asked me over. I'd even take on Break and Liam's chores if I needed to.  
It surprised me how desperate I was to avoid going into Vincent's house.  
I almost looked to Echo for help, but decided against it. What could she do?  
It was a very quiet two hours back, and the sun was rising when we came back. At least I was able to see Break just before he left.  
"Oh, Helen! Welcome back. I'm entrusting you to take on my usual duties to Lady Sharon while I'm away. She'll have an eye on us via her chain, Equus. I should be back in no time."  
Break turned his attention to Vincent as he boarded the carriage.  
"Well, then, Master Vincent, let's be off!"  
I caught a glimpse of Vincent nodding in reply just before the door shut, and I wondered if Break had an equally awkward three hour ride ahead of him.


	10. Chapter 10

I was sitting with Sharon in her room at a little table. She had some tea brewed up and poured some for the both of us as she waited to hear word from the others. I felt very small and stupid, just sitting across the table and sipping at my tea. It was, noticeably, the nicest tea I'd ever tasted, and I wondered if it was just because Sharon had made it.  
"So...how does Equus work?" I asked her after a while of silence.  
Break must have been on the carriage still.  
"Equus' ability is to travel through the shadows of others. It allows me to keep an eye on Break from a safe distance," Sharon explained.  
"Do you ever get to go with him, um, on a...mission?" I asked her.  
"Of course I do, but he usually does have me stay back here. I guess he worries about me a little too much."  
I smiled a little at that. It made me inexplicably happy that Sharon was in such good hands.  
"...So, Equus is in Break's shadow?" I wondered aloud.  
"Yes. He probably won't say anything to me until they arrive at Solemn Grove."  
"Can he hear you right now?"  
"Only if I decide to reach out to him through Equus."  
"The ride to Solemn Grove from here is three hours," I warned her.  
She shrugged. "I can wait. I only hope the gateway can."  
"So...what's this 'gateway'?"  
"Well, it's pretty much what it sounds like," she told me with a small smile that made me feel pretty stupid. "It's just a portal to the Abyss that's opening up."  
"And, ah, 'trump cards'?"  
"Lesser chains. They're usually just called cards. They're creatures of the Abyss, just like the chains we're used to, but less powerful."  
I nodded and continued sipping at my tea whilst staring absentmindedly at Sharon.  
She cleared her throat.  
"So, a three hour ride?" she asked.  
I nodded. "Yes. Three hours with Vincent."  
"Well, you seem to have come out of that ordeal in one piece. I have faith that Break can do much the same."  
She smiled at me again.  
My face heated up and all I could do was grin dumbly and take another sip of tea.  
"What should we do for the next three hours?"  
My mind came up with a few solutions that made my face heat up a lot more than it ever had since I'd arrived, and I stared down at my lap in disgust.  
Sharon tapped her spoon against her teacup and sat it down carefully on the saucer beneath it.  
"I suppose now's as good a time as any to catch up properly."  
I nodded and smiled up at her. "Yeah. How have you been?"  
"I've been just great, aside from that little spell a while ago. The only regret I really have would probably be this stupid contract I made. It stopped my aging process, so I don't get to go out as often as I'd like."  
I nodded, sympathising with her more than she'd ever realise. I wished very much to trade places with her, but I also felt ridiculous for thinking of such a thing.  
"I'm sorry," was all I could say to her.  
"It's not your fault. It really couldn't be helped. Besides, I guess it's better than being an illegal contractor."  
I nodded enthusiastically in agreement. When explaining Oz's situation to me earlier, Break had mentioned the incuse on his chest. Just thinking about that sort of pain made me cringe.  
All this talk of contractors reminded me of the strange necklace Break had given me, and I pulled it out of my bodice to display it to Sharon.  
"Hey, uh, speaking of contractors...? I don't understand why Break gave me this necklace after Gilbert asked him if I was one."  
Sharon pulled the same necklace from her own bodice.  
"We all have one of these, if we perform a legal contract. Break has one, too, as does Gilbert."  
"Does it preserve your life?"  
"Well, it keeps us from falling into the Abyss, at any rate."  
"Oh."  
I nodded. Hopefully, that didn't mean Sharon was about to die.  
Why was that all I was worried about?  
"How about you, Helen?"  
"Wh-what?"  
"How have you been doing?"  
"Oh, I...uh...well."  
"That's good to hear. I'm sorry about your mother."  
"Oh, oh no. It's okay. I'm actually dealing with it quite well...I believe."  
"You're very brave."  
I looked back down at my lap.  
Sharon thought I was brave!  
"Thank you..."  
"So, what in the world did you do without me all those years?" she laughed.  
"I, well...Mother had me visit Vincent up until I was twelve, and after that I didn't really get to go see anyone."  
"Oh. I'm sorry, Helen; that must have been awful."  
"Which part?"  
Both of them were quite awful in my opinion.  
"All of it. I wish I knew what made her so mad at me. Perhaps I could have righted it."  
Maybe she was mad at me. Maybe those two years with only Vincent as a friend were to serve as punishment for some awful deed she believed I did.  
"You couldn't have righted it any more than I could have, Sharon," I told her, reaching across the table to rest my hand on hers reassuringly without really thinking. "My mother was...well, she was unstable, to put it mildly."  
I didn't know how I never saw that when she was alive.  
"Well...there had to have been something that upset her so."  
"It was probably something very small and insignificant."  
I had the feeling I was only saying things I thought would make Sharon feel more at ease about our past situation.  
"Probably," she said, though she didn't sound all that sure.  
I frowned, since I really didn't want her to blame herself for this.  
I cleared my throat and opted for a change in subject.  
"So...Sharon...? Are you friends with the Nightrays now?"  
She laughed.  
"Goodness, no. We just have to get along with them because Vincent's a part of Pandora."  
For some reason, that made me feel relieved.  
"Ah. That makes much more sense."  
Sharon chuckled.  
"As I seem to recall, Helen, you took that three-hour ride with Vincent yourself."  
"Yes, and I survived. I even made conversation with him."  
"Maybe there's hope for Break yet."  
"Suffice it to say I have more faith in his coping abilities than I do my own."  
"Don't give yourself such little credit, Helen. You've dealt with him more than any of us. Well, that is, besides Gilbert, of course."  
"What...did happen to Gilbert?"  
"You mean the attitude change and all that? Well, like I mentioned, he was stuck with Vincent for a long, long time. Not to trivialise your experiences with the man, but I'm certain your time with him was nothing compared to Gil's. Vincent is, and always was, infatuated with his brother. Gilbert, that is, Gilbert is his brother. He went everywhere with him. Gilbert was scarcely able to find a moment alone. Now, add all that to the fact that he lost his closest friend: His young master."  
"He lost everything he loved in exchange for a lifetime with Vincent," I summarised solemnly.  
Sharon nodded.  
I could relate. Certainly, my problems were nowhere near as bad as Gilbert's, but they were of the same variety. I at least hoped for a better understanding of him. Talking to him would, hopefully, become much easier.  
We spent the remainder of the three hours catching up on other things I'd missed out on since I was ripped away from society as a whole. It amazed me how much I missed just staying at home.  
"Milady?" Break's voice interrupted from seemingly nowhere, giving me a start.  
Sharon was much more composed.  
"Hello, Break. I was wondering when you'd call me. How are things looking on your end?"  
"I'm not sure if I should say worse or better than we'd initially thought. As it turns out, the house isn't really empty. The illegal contractor stepped out of it about an hour ago. So far, Raven has been able to distract him, but all hope of that working is waning fast. In fact, the arrival of our carriage seems to have upset the man. I'll have to tell you more details later."  
"Very well. I trust that y - "  
A gunshot sounded that very nearly made me fall out of my chair.  
Sharon jumped.  
"Break?"  
The only response was silence.


End file.
